Traded Off my SLP-05

I sold my Cary SLP-05 after I borrowed a used BHK Signature Pre from a dealer. To me it sounded better stock than the modified Cary pre which was feeding a pair of Cary Founders edition amps. After a few weeks to get the sound imprinted in my mind, I started tube rolling and settled on a pair of NOS Telefunken tubes. I also replaced the fuse with a Synergistic Research Master fuse.

So to answer your question, in my opinion you didn’t make a mistake. Enjoy your new toy?

 "my beloved Cary SLP-05 "

If it truly was, you wouldn't have parted ways with it.

The BHK was highly rated by both users and reviewers, but in the end no one has your ears.

Your allowing needless audio neurosis take over before you even listen to it!

Relax, enjoy it.

@lwin 

I believe I read your other post about this and that was part of my decision to make the switch. Curious, which Tele's you went with, 12v or 6v which series? I was thinking SR Pink or Beeswax M2 fuse as well. I'm sure the SR Master is a game changer but want to take steps.

@sqitis I am using the 12’s. I also have a pair of the 7316 tubes which were my favorites until I tried the Telefunken.

Ok got it! Ty

Funny, I picked up my Cary SLP05 with the ultimate upgrade, choosing it over the BHK pre (was considering LS28, Reference 3 or 5, and the BHK pre and Cary). Couldn’t be happier with my choice. 
 

They are all great. At least now it is cheaper for you to roll tubes!

I've been thinking about picking up the Cary. Can I ask what about the PSA you preferred over the Cary?

Good things I've read about the Cary- good "slam" if that's what you need,

Not so good things I've heard- too much gain, keeping the volume knob set fairly low.

@jaybe The Cary is very good. I had the ultimate upgrade done and had them upgrade it further to  accommodate so vey rare tubes I wanted to use. The tubes were BL 63 which were used by the Royal Air Force between 1938 to 1941 in their Lancaster Bombers.The Cary is a great preamp and I had it for years. In my system and to my ears , I like the BHK better but your experience might differ. You can’t go wrong with either preamp.

To @sqitis what brand/model 6SN7 tubes, and coupling capacitors did you have in your SLP-05?

I must confess that I’ve had 3 Cary SLP-05 and I’ve tried many tubes and the ultimate upgrade version and I always felt it was lacking something. Tube list that I tried listed below.

Melz 1578

Sylvania VT-231 & 6SN7W

Sophia Blue Glass 6SNGT

PSvane CV-181II

CBS/Hytron 5692

LianLa Elite 6SN7

KenRad VT-231

Pope 6SN7GT

EH -6SN7

Ok maybe a few more but they never hit the nerve!

@lwin 

Agree, The SLP-05 is a very good preamp and will always have a place in my heart. But it just always needed a little more. Love the build and looks quality way more than many other preamp's. I just need (want) a little more openness and faster details that it can put out at the moment. I've tried cables, tubes, tweaks and it's just a little slower than I want at this time. I'm open to comments and idea's however.

@sqitis I think you will find what you are looking for with the BHK.I would love to hear your impression after installing it in your system. 

There is another thread discussing what component you would keep. It would be my BHK pre. Love it. 

Yeah I can’t wait to get it installed! I’m pacing the floors as we speak...

I read on the PSA forums that I can run the 6SN7 variant with the correct adapter. That might get interesting with the stock I have on hand plus what I want to buy from Andy at VTS.

I must confess that I’ve had 3 Cary SLP-05 

@sqitis , it took you three of those preamps to decide that they were not for you?

They will have to pry my SLP-05 from my cold dead hands.

If you tried 3 different SLP-05 preamplifiers and all of the tubes listed above, and it was still not "open" sounding enough for you, it's likely something else in the system going on or a combination of things together yielding a less open result. 

Your Plinius is known for a warm and open sound.  And, so are the Eggleston Andra speakers.  For example, If you had warmish caps in the SLP-05 too, that could make a difference even more to the warm side all three together.  

You also mention the "Tele" tube above which implies you are trying to open things up more there too.  All just guesses, but seems like a string of things together is not giving you the result you are looking for. Try the new pre and see if it's less rich and warm and more open and transparent for you.  Might work. Best of Luck.  

@decooney 

Ok, so the previous 2 SLP05's where with my old speakers before the Andra II, which were the Nautilus 801. With that said, the 801 was bolder and brighter sounding on the top end, which I "feel" that the SLP05 was a great match. Now, the Andra II is a little warmer and heavier in the mid/mid-bass but softer in the top end. Therefor this is why I'm trying to get a little less warmth in the preamp.  I really like these SA-103's amps and not sure I can let them go right now vs finding a better preamp to match up.

Yes, looking for just a little more open "airy" sound with a little less full mid/band since the speakers are already thick in that area.

okay so we’ve kind of concluded the prior general direction of those components all together is a big warmish and veiled over result so to speak. Let’s assume that for now.Not bad, just not as opened as you’d like it to be with your prior speakers. What you shared makes sense btw. I’ve heard those speakers before, fyi.

So..., you’ll get your BHK preamp and as others suggested and you’ve summarized, maybe a Tele or Tele like tube will add some openness and detail.

Now the cable police will come shoot me but gotta ask. Have you been running interconnect cables at the source and between amp-to-preamp that are possibly masking/holding back the sound a little bit, by chance? i.e. I can swap out my own smoothed over pure copper interconnects for other interconnect pairs I have with tinned or silver-over-coper interconnects to add some air, openness, detail. What ya got going there for all interconnects starting with your source to preamp to amp(s)? How long are those interconnects in feet/meters?

Ha, funny that you ask about the cables. I do feel that is my next step. Been running inexpensive Supra tinned XLR cables for years but used to have Kimber Hero a few years back as well. I’m curious where my next cable should be. I’d like to jump into some Nordost but $$ slows that down unless it’s the entry cables. I’m open to suggestions! Oh and using Kimber 12TC speaker cable and that’s not half bad sounding. Just need 1m & 2m for my setup.

@squitis - okay, imo I think either the Supra or Kimber Hero are just fine, and 1-2m length is good too. Did not mean to go down that rabbit hole, but good to know.

Back to the new preamp, how far out til you receive the BHK preamp?

I too for a time owned the Andra 2. And to me, the Andra 2 with the Esotar tweeters (I thought) that the upper frequencies were subdued.

And I also owned the Cary SLP-05 (with different speakers) and it also had sort of a romantic sound with subdued upper frequencies.

That combo will really lean toward the mid and lower mid sound. So, equipment and their relationship with each really matters.

ozzy

@ozzy Exactly! With Nautilus 801 the Cary helped tame that just perfect.

+1 to what @ozzy shared.  

I've found there seems to be sort of this compounding effect when you have 3 components in the chain that are all soft, smooth, more laid back on the top end.   

If the speakers are slightly warm and veiled over, there might be other options.  If the new BHK preamp does not help, in parallel [worth researching this too] I'd be contacting the speaker manufacturer-designer to ask if there are potential crossover changes available to swap in a change.  They might have advice here too. Clearly the speakers are voiced in a specific way for a type of sound achieved. 

Agree! Cable change and or xover parts change was next on the list.

@sqitis 

I truly hope you like the PS Audio BHK Sig.  I noticed PS Audio are selling these as a closeout for half price ($3499) and should be a fantastic deal and easily salable if you need to move on.

It is a Class A topology (The Cary is a Class A triode) so this should help give the sound life and dynamics.  However the gain on the PS Audio is just less than 10db.  Compared to the 17db of the Cary (Single ended) and 24 db (balanced) you may notice quite a big drop off in scale and verve.  

I've had my SLP-05 for 4 years now and with a Mullard NOS rectifier and Sylvania 6SN7 NOS tubes feeding a beefy McIntosh Solid State power amp I cannot ever think of selling it.  Clarity, detail, smoothness, polished musicality, the perfect amount of sweetness, massive sound stage and musical element separation and instant on transients / micro dynamics it is mine forever. 

Sure the meter lamps puke out every once in a while (I made my own fix) and it's 2-chassis system is bulky but the Class A triode sound is to die for.  I use the single ended connections feeding my Mac amp, the balanced connections have too much gain for a typical amp.  With a low gain power amp (e.g. 20db Pass XA25 or some First Watt models, the Balanced high gain outputs are a perfect match and expands significantly on the dynamics and sound stage.  Bottom line you need to know how to get the most out of it with proper setup and amplifier synergy.   

I hope you were able to do that prior to dumping it and that you will not be disappointed with the PSA.  

@ozzy 

What was the best pre/amp combo that you heard with your Andra II's? I'm curious to hear the possibilities.

I'm about 2 weeks in with the BHK and yeah it's different. More open and detailed but also not as liquid as the SLP. It's definitely a "hybrid" sound. I want to tube roll some other NOS tubes other than the E88 Tele. I hear a little Tele dryness that few folks speak of and I'm wondering if I can get a little more liquid but keep the top end open and airy. Before I had the Plinius amp I had an ARC Ref75 w/KT150 tubes and it was a bit more airy and punchy. Kinda miss that but I know it can be achieved again.

sqitis,

I tried several, including the Pass Labs P-20, Ayre and the Cary SP-05. I just never enjoyed the Esotar tweeter that was used in the Andra’s. Too dark sounding. I would have preferred a faster, clearer more dynamic preamp. Alas, I ended up selling the Andra’s and the Cary.

Today, I am using Clarisys Planar speakers and couldn’t be happier.

Sounds like you prefer the "tube sound".

ozzy